WIRRAL’S council leader will join political bosses from across the county to take part in the first cabinet meeting of a new combined authority for Merseyside this morning.

Leaders of all six Merseyside boroughs are to meet at Mann Island in Liverpool at 11am, and are expected to elect a chairman for the new body.

Well-placed sources whisper that Wirral leader Cllr Phil Davies is favourite for the post.

This is unlikely to please the city’s elected Mayor Joe Anderson, and there has been a clamour in certain quarters to see the Liverpool man take the top job.

The Globe’s Emma Rigby will be filing updates from the meeting.